Former PRP principal files lawsuit against JCPS

If "the spending in question ought to be evaluated in light of what a good school PRP has been under Dave Johnson," then one supposes it is also fair to include his stunning failure to investigate the death of one of his football players (Max Gilpin). What's that weigh on the scales of justice?

 

This from WDRB:

The former principal of Pleasure Ridge Park High School has filed a lawsuit against the Jefferson County Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Donna Hargens, claiming the district illegally took about $11,000 from his unused sick leave and vacation time when he retired.

Former PRP principal David Johnson

David Johnson, who retired June 30 following a district investigation into expenditures of school activity funds under his watch, alleges the board and Hargens violated the Kentucky Wage and Hour law, according to a lawsuit filed this week on his behalf in Jefferson Circuit Court.

The district said in July that nearly $12,000 owed in unauthorized expenses made by Johnson had been paid, but would not say if Johnson repaid the money himself or if the funds were deducted from payroll.

In the lawsuit, Johnson said he "contested in writing" the amount he allegedly owed and "never agreed" he would pay the district the funds they demanded.

Johnson claims Hargens "directed" that his wages be withheld, which is not allowed under state or federal law, according to the suit.

Johnson announced his retirement in May in the wake of a JCPS investigative report that accused him of treating himself to luxurious accommodations, meals and car rentals at the expense of PRP High School. The report found a "lack of ethical conduct and gross mismanagement of funds.”

At the time, JCPS accounting director Eddie Muns said the district would not pursue criminal charges but that the expectation was that Johnson would reimburse JCPS before he retired.
Johnson, who has previously accused the district of railroading him in its investigation, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. His attorney, William Walsh, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. JCPS spokesman Ben Jackey said the district could not comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit is seeking monetary damages and a trial by jury.

In a previous interview with WDRB, Johnson denied any intentional wrongdoing. He said no tax dollars were spent, he did not feel his expenditures were "excessive" and he had never been told that spending money from the school's activity funds was a problem before, that it was a "common practice" across the district.

The trouble involving Johnson was disclosed in a December report from the Kentucky Office of Education Accountability that found he had failed to properly document more than $202,000 in school expenses. State investigators also said Johnson had used the school's activity fund and credit card for questionable purchases, including a $1,900 stay at an oceanfront condo in Myrtle Beach, S.C. before a 2011 baseball tournament.

The district's investigation, released May 15, found "many examples of financial … misconduct or wrongdoing."

It confirmed the state's concern of Johnson's spending involving two trips to Myrtle Beach, as well as other trips to New Orleans, Chicago and Lexington. The JCPS report also said Johnson and staff "double-dipped" by receiving reimbursement for a federal grant for expenses they did not personally incur.

JCPS investigators also found a deficit of more than $56,000 in PRP's adult-activity fund – money they said was inappropriately used for staff holiday gifts, staff clothing, food for the office and personal trips.

In a March 28 letter to JCPS' attorney, Walsh explained the reasoning behind each of the 14 accusations against Johnson.

Walsh wrote that Johnson "hardly treated himself to luxurious vacations and amenities" as the district alleges. In fact, he wrote, given "the types of accommodations often provided for traveling District employees, the amounts paid for by Johnson “were relatively modest."

Walsh claimed the money Johnson used was from an "adult activity fund" and spent according to the district's rules.

Walsh wrote that "it may be fair" to decide that such expenditures should not be permitted while there is a deficit in the adult activity fund.

"“This, however, has not been the case before and it is not fair to punish or condemn Dave Johnson for doing something he had every reason to think was acceptable heretofore," Walsh wrote.

And Walsh said PRP is not the only school running a deficit in adult activity funds.

Also, while there is a dispute about how big of a deficit the school has in the adult activity account at PRP, "the spending in question ought to be evaluated in light of what a good school PRP has been under Dave Johnson."

Kentucky implements a new evaluation process for teachers

Shout outs to Jonda, Susan and Kate!

This from Valarie Honeycutt Spears at the Herald-Leader:

In the past, Beaumont Middle School teacher Laura Roche Youngworth said she has mainly been evaluated by a supervisor observing her classroom.

But under a new evaluation process that will be implemented statewide this fall, the Lexington French teacher will also be evaluated by how her students progress and gain enduring skills over time, by her self-reflection and by feedback from students.

Last year, Youngworth participated in Fayette County's pilot of the new Professional Growth and Effectiveness System, which is designed to put an effective teacher in every classroom and an effective principal in every school to increase student achievement.

Jonda Tippins, an assistant principal in Scott Co., left, and Susan Simandle, a music teacher from Franklin Co., right, participated in an exercise during a Professional Growth and Effectiveness System (PGES) training session held at the Richmond Rd. campus of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Ky., Monday, July 21, 2014. PGES is the new evaluation system for teachers that goes into effect statewide next month. Today's training session was also webcast statewide. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff HERALD-LEADER

"I was really impressed with it because it provides a big picture of what a teacher is doing. My principal got a bigger vision of who I am as a teacher," Youngworth said.

Youngworth said she was able to collaborate with her principal Kate McAnelly to grow professionally.

"That really ... was lacking in the last system we had," she said.

Under the new system, teachers will be evaluated with the following designations: Exemplary, accomplished, developing or ineffective.

Kentucky Education Associate Commissioner Amanda Ellis said the evaluation system is more rigorous than in the past, but it provides officials with more insight. It provides more guidance and feedback to teachers, Ellis said.

"Our focus is not a gotcha system to be punitive with teachers, but its really an effort to improve them as professionals," she said.

By 2015-2016, districts will be required to factor the new evaluations into personnel decisions, which could include counseling teachers or putting them on a corrective action plan.

An estimated 146 out of 173 districts, including Fayette County, have decided to make personnel decisions based on some aspects of the new evaluation system during the 2014-15 academic year, said Ellis.

On Thursday, Ellis gave the Kentucky Board of Education a progress report on the system — commonly called PGES.

Ellis told the Herald-Leader that under the new system, teachers and principals will in part, be evaluated on how students perform on state standardized tests.

Previously, there were different evaluation systems in the state's 173 districts. Though statewide standards were used, the evaluations were inconsistent and provided little feedback, Ellis said.

The new system requires teachers to be evaluated on how well they prepare and plan, on how well they know their students, and on classroom environment. Teachers will be expected to help all students — from those who are struggling to the high achievers — to progress.

Under the pilot, Youngworth said she provided evidence of how her students were progressing through specific tests. Students were able to express an opinion on her effectiveness. As part of her evaluation, she set a personal goal that she would have a better understanding of the content she was teaching.

Beaumont Middle School Principal, Kate McAnelly said she and Youngworth collaborated to decide on the exemplary rating that Youngworth received.

"She was actually much harder on herself than I was," McAnelly said.

McAnelly said that as the new system is implemented statewide, she thinks it's important that "administrators be consistent."

Several statewide education groups, colleges and universities worked on the regulation that governs the new evaluation process. Higher education officials will be keeping the new evaluation system in mind as they develop teacher education programs, Ellis said.

Meanwhile, state education officials are providing training to help teachers, principals and superintendents navigate the new system.

Kentucky Commissioner Terry Holliday said teachers have asked for more training and support to learn how student academic progress will be used in the evaluation.

The new system holds administrators accountable as well. Teacher performance will be a reflection of how well principals run their school, and principal performance will be a reflection of superintendents.

"For the first time ever, everybody's connected and its all still focused on students growing," Ellis said.

The goal of the new system is not to increase a teacher's workload, but to transform the work a teacher is already doing, to get them to think about their work differently, Ellis said.

"I feel like it's worth the effort in changing," said McAnelly, "because it will make our teacher and principal work force stronger and more effective for all students."

Is it Time for Competency-based Education?

This from Morning Education via email:

Competency-based education isn't a new idea, but it's getting new found attention in the midst of an increasingly volatile debate about rising college costs, limited access and dubious quality in higher education. The concept has long languished under a system that grants degrees based on how much time students spend in the classroom, not how much they're learning while they're there.

Republicans and Democrats in Congress can't seem to find much common ground on Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization, but they're coming together on this one. Lawmakers say competency-based education could have far-reaching consequences - possibly revolutionizing higher education as we know it.

Even the White House agrees. "Folks get that there really is this tension between innovation and integrity and you have to find that balance," said Amy Laitinen, deputy director for higher education at the New America Foundation. "And I think experimentation is the way to go."

Bills have been pitched in Congress and the Education Department is prepared to clear an untold number of colleges to experiment with different CBE models while retaining their federal aid eligibility. But innovation isn't easy. Many institutions that might want to participate won't have the software or infrastructure to do so. And as lawmakers have acknowledged, much of the heavy lifting will show not just what works - but inevitably, what doesn't.

In his comments before the Kentucky Board of Education this week, former Ky Ed Commish and CCSSO honcho Gene Wilhoit echoed what I think we can count on becoming a familiar vision - a more personalized, competency-based approach to schooling that maintains a clear vision of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students must possess. Seat time; not so much.

At EKU, teacher preparation in the College of Education is transitioning to a "clinical model" that is highly focused on the professional dispositions and specific knowledge and skills needed for students to become successful teachers. Faculty have been working for months, breaking down those essential skills and knowledge sets into a series of six "clinicals." Rather than offering course work along with some number of field hours, this approach features the clinicals which are then supported by the course work, where students can debrief, ask questions and deepen their understandings. The horse is arguably back in front of the cart. The new competency-based School of Clinical Educator Preparation will be rolled out before EPSB on Monday.

In March, Kentucky's KCTCS became a member of C-BEN, a cohort of colleges and university's committed to designing competency-based degree programs.

A recent paper from the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment found...

• Institutions that are using competency-based education are approaching it one of three ways: (1) embedding it into traditional curriculum; (2) redesigning the curriculum entirely around competencies; or (3) redesigning the credentialing process around CBE, using direct assessment.
• There are five common concepts in competency-based education (1)a focus on demonstrating knowledge; (2) clearly defined requirements of what graduates should know and be able to do in order to earn a degree;( 3) assessment practices that focus on real-life scenarios; (4) a de-emphasis on a traditional course format so that students can learn from open education resources or hands on, project-based environments. (5) customization of the learning materials for individual students, based on their needs, and the extent to which they might need additional help.
• Some of the primary challenges facing competency-based programs in the U.S. are (1)determining eligibility for federal financial aid, (2) gaining buy-in from faculty,(3) developing and sharing best practices, (4) understanding the variety of assessment practices currently being used by CBE programs across the country, (5) working with regional accreditors, and (6) identifying what data should be collected on CBE programs and how best to collect it for continuous improvement.

This from the Center for American Progress:

Competency-based education primer

Competency-based education is an outcomes-based approach to education where the emphasis is on what comes out of postsecondary education—what graduates know and can do—rather than what goes into the curriculum. With a competency-based approach, you do not begin preparing a course syllabus by identifying content and readings. Instead, you begin by identifying competencies and then select the content, readings, and assignments to support student attainment of those competencies.

With a competency-based approach, students advance when they have demonstrated mastery of a competency, which is defined as “a combination of skills, abilities and knowledge needed to perform a task in a specific context.” Mastery is the sole determinant of progress, which means that delivery options multiply and expand since any instructional method or instructional provider that can move a student toward mastery is theoretically acceptable.

In competency-based education, assessment is embedded in every step of the learning process in order to provide students with guidance and support toward mastery. This heightened level of assessment is designed to build competencies in real time. The following figure, from the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative’s report “Defining and Assessing Learning,” provides a simple yet powerful visual of the competency-based approach:

As described in the report, the first rung at the bottom of the pyramid consists of traits and characteristics—these are the foundation of learning and depict the innate makeup of individuals upon which further experiences can be built. The second rung consists of skills, abilities, and knowledge developed through learning experiences broadly defined to include formal education, work, and participation in community affairs. The third rung, competencies, are the outcome of integrated learning experiences, in which skills, abilities, and knowledge are focused on the performance of a task. Finally, the top rung, demonstrations, results from the application of competencies. Assessment is deeply embedded at all stages of this learning process.

It is clear, given this description, that the design of the learning experience is dependent upon standardized and agreed-upon definitions for skills, abilities, and knowledge; competencies; and demonstrations. Once students, faculty, employers, and policymakers agree upon competencies that must be mastered, it opens up avenues for students to personalize their learning options by selecting among different providers. The ability to personalize learning options enables students to find the best instruction at the lowest cost. What’s more, as long as students can demonstrate mastery of a subject it no longer matters where they went to school. As it happens, standardized definitions of competencies are integral to whether or not competency-based education can be scaled up and “disrupt” postsecondary education.

Wilhoit Signals Change away from Statewide Summative Assessments as the Basis for All Decisions

Wednesday, former Ky Ed Commissioner Gene Wilhoit, who led much of the Chief State School Officers' school reform effort (2007-12), signaled a possible policy shift, telling the Kentucky Board of Education that we must move away from summative assessments as the basis for all decisions. Wilhoit currently directs a Gates and Hewlett-funded policy center at UK.

Wilhoit's comment follows months of concerns raised here, there, and everywhere, that an over-reliance on student test score data for a host of accountability purposes, has contributed to unfair and inaccurate assessments of teachers, "teaching to the test," and a general degradation of the profession. Wilhoit rationalized his comment by claiming that there has been a shift in teaching and learning in recent years (?) and that the "current system of assessment and accountability is inhibiting us from reaching our goals," something Kentucky teachers have been saying for a while now. 

But the U. S. Office of Education, in a June conference call about Kentucky's NCLB Waiver,  informed KDE of their "concern" that the state was under-valuing (test score) growth as a determining factor in teacher effectiveness and that the lack of weights placed on growth might under-value state assessment data. (See PGES Staff Note)

In the past foundations, like Gates, helped drive national education policy which the U. S. government often followed. Are Wilhoit's comments a signal that policy leaders are backing off some of their early exuberance over test scores as the best (and too often only) measure of teacher effectiveness? It is too soon to say. Politically, one assumes the Obama administration will finish out its years under the same general philosophy. But might changes be underway that will influence the next administration?


This from KDE via email:

BOARD DISCUSSES TRANSFORMING ASSESSMENTS TO IMPROVE INSTRUCTION

At its annual retreat today, the Kentucky Board of Education discussed a new approach to assessments meant to more accurately measure students’ higher level skills and drive instructional improvement toward the goal of college/career-readiness for all students. 

Former Commissioner Gene Wilhoit, who now leads the National Center for Innovation in Education, facilitated a session on Leadership for Instructional Transformation and told the board the “current system of assessment and accountability is inhibiting us from reaching our goals.” He said there has been a shift in teaching and learning in recent years and we are “beginning to see a system that is very different than the one we inherited, a system aligned with a new vision of learning” that is more personalized, competency-based and with a clear vision of the knowledge, skills and dispositions students must possess.

Wilhoit told the board this requires new types of assessments that are both state-designed and locally-developed, are more open-ended, focused on problem solving, and include authentic performance tasks. He said we must move away from statewide summative assessments as the basis for all decisions. 

Associate Commissioner Ken Draut gave an example of an assessment model that is being developed to assess the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards in science. The model includes classroom-embedded assessments as well as multiple through-course assessments that are used to transform instruction and improve student learning but do not count toward state accountability. Accountability would be determined by a two-part end-of-year summative assessment that includes a through-course task similar to what is given throughout the school year and a content-based assessment. The summative assessments would serve to validate the reliability of classroom- and through-course assessments delivered throughout the school year. 

“What this does is free us up to focus more on our commitment to education rather than just compliance,” said board member Nawanna Privett. “It moves us away from ‘teaching to the test’,” she said.

Board members expressed an interest in a vision for transforming the current assessment and accountability system from one that drives instruction to a tool that is used to improve instruction.

At the retreat, the board also discussed dual credit/enrollment in Kentucky and the need to develop a statewide solution for consistent, equitable access to dual credit courses whereby a student may receive credit from both the high school and postsecondary institution.

Dr. Jennifer Dounay Zinth from the Education Commission of the States told the board dual credit is typically recognized with improving college completion rates, especially among minority and low-income students. 

However, Associate Commissioner Dale Winkler said that while dual credit is growing in most states, it has seen a decline in Kentucky in recent years.  

Zinth presented 13 model state-level policy components gathered from other states that increase student access and success in dual credit programs.

A statewide task force will begin meeting next month with the goal of issuing a list of recommendations in November so that more students may experience rigorous programs of study that lead to college/career-readiness and persistence to postsecondary degree programs. 

At the start of the board retreat, Franklin Circuit Court Chief Judge Phillip Shepherd delivered the oath of office for two new board members, Debra L. Cook of Corbin and Samuel D. Hinkle of Shelbyville.           

Debra Cook is a retired educator and represents members at large. She replaces Brigitte Ramsey, who resigned to take a position with the Prichard Committee. Cook will serve for the remainder of the unexpired term ending April 14, 2016.

Samuel Hinkle is an attorney with Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC and represents the 6th Supreme Court District. He replaces Judy Gibbons, who did not seek reappointment. Hinkle’s term expires April 14, 2018.

EduTwitterVerse

I am not aware of any state-level effort to gauge the strength of KyEduTwitter feeds, but if one exists, it would surely show a big gap between state-level and national exposure. Media folks appear to do well if Toni Konz is any indication. Of course the former C-J (now WDRB) reporter tweets like a fiend...and not everyone is on Klout.

 

Name	Twitter Handle	Klout Score 8/14	Followers
Toni Konz	@tkonz	61	5,126
Bill Goodman	@BillKET	56	3,176
Kentucky Chamber…	@KyChamber	53	9,630
Justin Bathon	@Edjurist	52	1,896
Terry Holliday	@kycommissioner	51	4,894
Richard Day	@Reday00	51	243
Prichard Committee	@Prichardcom	48	1,926
Stu Silberman	@stusilbermanfc	44	2,313
Valarie Spears	@vhspears	43	1,226
Tom Shelton	@TomShelton47	-	2,673
Linda Blackford	@lbblackford	-	1,146
Wayne Lewis	@WayneDLewis	-	647
Robert King	@cpebob	-	213

This from EducationNext:

It’s August, which can only mean one thing: it’s time for our annual list of top education-policy Twitter feeds. (Click for the 2013, 2012, and 2011 versions.) Klout scores are the primary metric (with ties broken by the number of Twitter followers); a main focus on K–12 education policy is the only eligibility requirement.

This year’s list is remarkably consistent with last year’s (and the years’ before that), though a couple of newcomers might be an indication of the changing education-policy debate. The Badass Teachers Association is on the board at number 15, and its founder, Mark Naison, is at number 21. And news anchor-turned-education-reformer Campbell Brown jumps to Twitter prominence at number 24. (Keep in mind that Klout looks at all forms of social media; some of the feeds on our list are particularly strong on Facebook, for example, not just Twitter.)
Of course, the list above mixes apples and oranges—both people and organizations. In many respects, it’s easier as a person to achieve a higher Klout score, which offers big points for “engagement.” (Few organizational feeds will get into a Twitter debate.) On the other hand, many of the feeds have huge numbers of followers that are hard for real live people to replicate. So let’s deconstruct this fruit salad and look at people and organizations separately.

Here the list starts to look more interesting, with more newcomers on the charts. Chalkbeat’s Elizabeth Green is no doubt helped by timing (her new book, Building a Better Teacher, is getting buzz at just the right moment for this exercise). Vox’s Libby Nelson has built a strong following and receives high marks for engagement. And USC assistant professor Morgan Polikoff edges his way onto the list too—a source of pride for the Fordham/AEI Emerging Education Policy Scholars program.

How about organizations and media outlets?

There are more newbies on this list too, including the Network for Public Education and the education programs of two big Washington think tanks (AEI and CAP). When I look at the list I think, “Yup, those are most of the big players in the education policy debates today.” But who’s missing?